My Genealogy Hound

BENJAMIN F. ALLISON, a highly esteemed citizen of Springfield, is a veteran of the late war, where he won a good record for faithful service, though he sacrificed his health for his country. He is a Pennsylvanian by birth, born in Dry town, Lancaster County, November 21, 1830. He is derived from sturdy Scotch ancestry. His father, Abraham Allison, was born in Scotland, but when he was young his parents took him to Ireland, and there he was reared. Ambitious to improve his condition, with a sister and his brother Joseph, he came to this country and located in Pennsylvania, where he married Susan Kauffman, a native of Lancaster County, that State. He became a stone-mason and carried on his trade in Lancaster County about twenty years. He then turned his attention to farming, and buying a farm four miles from Drytown actively engaged in its cultivation, and made his home there until death him called to a higher. His wife died at the home of her daughter in her native county. To those worthy people were born seven children, of whom the following five were reared and are still living — Barbara, John, Abraham, Susan and Benjamin F.

The son of whom we write spent his early years on his father’s farm until he arrived at the age of fourteen, when he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a shoemaker in Maytown, Lancaster County. He was bound for five years, but served only two years and then worked a year under instruction in Carlisle, Cumberland County, gaining a thorough mastery of his calling, and he then did “jour” work for awhile. In 1856 he came to Ohio and started in business for himself in London, Madison County, and carried it on profitably until 1862. In the meantime he had been watching the course of the war with intense interest, and as soon as he could arrange his affairs he offered his services to his country and, enlisting on the 11th of August, that year, actively assisted in raising a company, which was designated as Company A, and was attached to the One hundred and Thirteenth Ohio Infantry, and then sent to Camp Chase, where the officers were chosen and the regiment was organized. It was then dispatched to Camp Dennison, where the men were thoroughly drilled in military tactics for three hours each forenoon and afternoon and each man in turn did guard duty. The barracks were comfortable and were provided with wooden bunks and plenty of good straw and blankets. The regiment was sent from there to Louisville the same fall, where the men were furnished with tents and for the first time slept on the ground.

The members of Company A were found to be men of resource and self-reliance, and obtained all the conveniences and comforts to be had, and if there was any straw to be procured for beds they generally appropriated it. Our subject and his comrades were posted in Louisville about two months and then went to Muldrow Hills to guard trestles on the Louisville & Nashville Railway. They were stationed there two months, and their next destination was Franklin, Tenn., where they arrived the day after the battle and did good service in assisting in the burial of the dead. Mr. Allison was taken sick at that point and returned to Nashville to enter the hospital. His health did not improve, and six weeks later he was sent to Louisville. He still continued grow worse, and wrote a letter to Gov. Todd to know why the orders for the removal of sick soldiers to the hospitals nearer home were not carried out. The Governor was very prompt in his reply, which our subject received by return mail, and five days later he was on his way to the hospital at Camp Dennison. He remained there until his discharge, August 9, 1863, he was suffering from heart disease and chronic diarrhea, and as his soldier days were over he returned home, and as soon as able resumed the shoe business. He resided in London until 1871, when he took up his abode in Springfield, and has ever since made his home here, and for some years was foreman in a shoe store, a, position for which his knowledge of the business and experience thoroughly qualified him. While other men gave their lives on the field of battle and in the camps and hospitals of the South during the Rebellion, our subject gave that without which life is scarcely worth living, his health, as he has never been able to regain his old-time vigor since those trying days in the army. Yet, who shall say that he has not made life a success, although the plans and ambitions with which he started out in the world have not all been brought to fruition. He made a willing sacrifice, has borne his sufferings cheerfully, and by industry when he was able to work, by frugality, and excellent business tact, he has accumulated a sufficient amount of this world’s goods for a comfortable competence.

Mr. Allison has been blessed with a good wife, a true, unselfish helpmate, to whom he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony, April 22, 1850. Her maiden name was Charlotte E. Smith, and Baltimore, Md., was the place of her birth. They have three children living, of whom the following is recorded: Levi A. married Arabelle Neff, and they have four children, — Daisy, Etna, Henry and a baby; Smith E. married Nettie Long, and they have two children — Nettie and Glenna; Benjamin F. married Arabelle Morrell.

Mr. Allison has always been true in all the relations of life, as son, husband, father, neighbor and citizen, and is in all respects worthy of the consideration and esteem accorded to him by all who know him. In commemoration of his career as a soldier he has identified himself with Mitchell Post No. 45, G. A. R. He is a sound Republican in politics and cast his first vote for Fremont, and has been in the ranks of the party almost from its formation. In him the Second Lutheran Church finds one of its most consistent members.